Coin counter or verifier

ABSTRACT

A coin counter or verifier has at least one straight edge along which are a series of regularly spaced ribs extending outwardly from the base of the counter. The ribs are sized according to the denomination of coin to be counted, operation of the counter entailing the insertion of the edge with the ribs into a trough of coins along one side thereof. The ribs force coins at regular intervals out of alignment in the trough to facilitate counting thereof.

0 l s United States aten 1 [1 3,736,947

Gdanski 1 June 5, 1973 I54] COIN COUNTER OR VERIFIER FOREIGN PATENTS ORAPPLICATIONS [76] Inventor: Ronald C. Gdanski, 10 Sunnylea 413,5687/1934 Great Britain ..206/84 Crescent, Grimsby, Ontario, Canada 792,789l0/l935 France ..l33/8 R 255,805 7/1967 Germany ..l33/8 R [22] Filed:Sept. 21, 1971 {211 App[ 182,386 Primary Examiner-Samuel F. ColemanAssistant Examiner-Joseph J. Rolla Attorney-Harold A. Weir, Harvey I.Marshall, [30] Foreign Application Priority Data William parks et 1 J25, I971 C d ..ll6692 a 57 ABSTRACT [52] U.S. Cl ..133/8 R, 206/84 Acoin counter or verifier has at least one straight [51] Int. Cl. ..G07d9/00 ed e alon which are a series of re ularly s aced ribs 8 g g P [58]Field of Search ..133/8 R, 1 M; extending r ly fr m h base f h ounter.The 206/84 3 81 32 33; 53 7 159 ribs are sized according to thedenomination of coin to be counted, operation of the counter entailingthe in- [56] References Cited sertion of the edge with the ribs into atrough of coins along one side thereof. The ribs force coins at regularUNITED STATES PATENTS intervals out of alignment in the trough tofacilitate 858,331 6/1907 Brewster ..206/84 coummg thereof 3 Claims, 2Drawing Figures PATENTEDJUH 5 I975 3. 736, 947

INVENTOR Ronald C Gdanski COIN COUNTER on VERIFIER The present inventionrelates generally to coin counting and wrapping devices, andparticularly to a compact simple device designed to provide fastaccurate counting of roll-size units of coins, or of partial rolls.

Prior to the development of nickel alloy coins it was generally truethat coins could not be counted by stack length due to significantvariations in individual coin thickness. This was especially true ofcoins with a high silver content as they had low abrasive resistance.The recent change to nickel alloy coins and improved minting standardshas provided coinage of considerably improved dimensional stability andof increased durability. As a result it is possible to rely to a greaterextent on coin thickness to provide an efficient method of countingcoins.

The main feature of the invention, therefore is the provision of a meanswhereby coins arranged in a horizontal stack of normal roll-sizequantities or less can be monetarily arranged in small groups suitablefor rapid visual counting and verification. It is to be understood thatcoins are held in a trough-like container which supports them readily ina stacked configuration. Such a trough-like container may be found in myCanadian Pat. No. 769,469, issued Oct. 17, 1967, for a compact coinsorter and counter.

The coin counter of this invention includes a base having at least oneside operative for coin counting. Along that side is a lip having aplurality of regularly spaced upstanding ribs, the spacing of the ribsbeing determined by the dimension of the particular denomination ofcoins to be counted.

The coin counter will accommodate variations in coin thickness due towear or misuse. The coin count is accomplished by counting the coinswhich are displaced from a stack of coins by the ribs when the lip isforced into the trough adjacent the edges of the coins. Identificationmarkings on the base give a monetary value to the total number of coinscounted.

The invention will now be described in more detail and with reference tothe drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the coin counter of this invention, and

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the coin counter of this invention shownin use.

A preferred embodiment of the coin counter of this invention isillustrated in the drawings. In this embodiment the counter is mouldedfrom any suitable plastics material and has an essentially squareperimeter.

Along each side is a plurality of regularly spaced ribs 11 projectingoutwardly from the base 10 and upwardly from lips 12. These ribstherefore define spaces 13 therebetween. The lip 12 is of the samethickness and parallel to and offset from said base to facilitateinsertion into a stack of coins. The lip and the base are jointedtogether by slanting portion 14. The depth of each lip, as well as thethickness of each rib and the interval or space between ribs is directlyrelated to the dimensions of the denomination of coins to be counted.More uniform shrinkage during the moulding process is achieved if thebase 10, lip 12 and slanting portion 14 are of the same thickness.

If, for example, coins having a base unit of five are to be counted,ribs 11 will be less thick than the base coin. Spaces 13 will, in turn,be wider than four such coins placed face to face but narrower than fivesuch coins. Coins of various denominations may easily be counted, eachdenomination being allocated to one side of the counter. While thepreferred embodiment as shown has four sides, the number of sidesprovided is actually related to the number of denominations to becounted.

For convenience, handle 15 is integrally moulded into the base 10 of thecounter. In addition, each side may be labelled with the denomination tobecounted thereon, as at 16, and the actual value may also be markedadjacent the appropriate rib, as at 17.

When counting coins, the counter is used in a manner as illustrated inFIG. 2 in association with, for example, a coin sorter according to myaforementioned Canadian patent. The coins 19 are stacked in a trough 18of the coin sorter and the appropriate lip 12 of the counter is insertedinto the stack along one side of the trough. As the lip goes deeper intothe trough, ribs 11 will force every fifth coin 20, for example,partially out of the stack. The four intervening coins will be withinthe confines of space 13. It is then possible to visually check thepattern to ascertain if the count is accurate, if excess coins arepresent or if additional coins are required. Removing the ribs from thestack of coins allows the coins to slide downwards back into the troughready for adjustment, roll wrapping or return to cash drawers.

In the event that the count is irregular, due to bent or worn coins, theirregularity will be immediately apparent as one rib will be supportingtwo coins. Since the spaces are too narrow to provide entrance of anextra coin, it is impossible to have excess coins within a space betweenribs. On the other hand, if too few coins are present in the pattern,this fact can be quickly and visually determined when the coins aremissing from a space and even moreso when a coin is missing from a rib.

The coin counter of this invention provides a simple and inexpensivemeans for determining the number of coins in a stack thereof. It iseasily manufactured using modern moulding techniques and it issufficiently compact in size to be carried in pocket or purse.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property orprivilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A coin counter comprising a base having at least one straight sideand a lip offset from said base and forming an obtuse angle with anoutwardly slanting portion of said base, said lip rigidly supporting aplurality of regularly spaced ribs, said ribs extending upwardly fromsaid lip and outwardly from said base, the spacing of said ribs beingdenominationally related to the coins to be counted.

2. A coin counter comprising a base having at least one straight sideand a lip for rigidly supporting a plurality of regularly spaced ribsextending upwardly from said lip and outwardly from said base whereinthe spacing of said ribs is denominationally related to the coins to becounted and each rib has a thickness less than that of a coin to becounted.

3. A coin counter according to claim 2 wherein said base is square inconfiguration, the ribs along one side thereof being regularly spacedwith intervals therebetween different from the intervals between theribs of another side.

1. A coin counter comprising a base having at least one straight sideand a lip offset from said base and forming an obtuse angle with anoutwardly slanting portion of said base, said lip rigidly supporting aplurality of regularly spaced ribs, said ribs extending upwardly fromsaid lip and outwardly from said base, the spacing of said ribs beingdenominationally related to the coins to be counted.
 2. A coin countercomprising a base having at least one straight side and a lip forrigidly supporting a plurality of regularly spaced ribs extendingupwardly from said lip and outwardly from said base wherein the spacingof said ribs is denominationally related to the coins to be counted andeach rib has a thickness less than that of a coin to be counted.
 3. Acoin counter according to claim 2 wherein said base is square inconfiguration, the ribs along one side thereof being regularly spacedwith intervals therebetween different from the intervals between theribs of another side.